Comments are due on or before February 13, 2018, and reply comments are due on or before February 21, 2018. Bidding for FM translator construction permits in Auction 99 is scheduled to begin on May 15, 2018.

Effective March 5, 2018, except for §§ 73.3801, 73.6029, and 74.782 which contain information collection requirements that are not effective until approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date for these sections. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in this rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register, as of March 5, 2018.

47 CFR Parts 15, 73, 74, and 76

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) authorizes television broadcasters to use the “Next Generation” broadcast television (Next Gen TV) transmission standard, also called “ATSC 3.0” or “3.0,” on a voluntary, market-driven basis. This authorization is subject to broadcasters continuing to deliver current-generation digital television (DTV) service, using the ATSC 1.0 transmission standard, also called “ATSC 1.0” or “1.0,” to their viewers.

Comments are due on or before February 6, 2018, and reply comments are due on or before February 13, 2018. Bidding for FM translator construction permits in Auction 83 is scheduled to begin on June 21, 2018.

47 CFR Parts 1 and 73

Summary

In this document, the Wireless Telecommunications and Media Bureaus (the Bureaus) announce an auction of certain FM translator construction permits. This document also seeks comment on competitive bidding procedures and proposed minimum opening bids for Auction 83.

Comments are due on or before February 26, 2018. Reply Comments are due on or before March 27, 2018.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( NPRM ) initiates a comprehensive review of the national television audience reach cap, including the UHF discount used by broadcasters to determine compliance with the cap. The national cap limits entities from owning or controlling television stations that, together, reach more than 39 percent of the television households in the country. The NPRM asks questions about whether a cap is still needed and what public interest goals it would promote, where the cap should be set if still needed, and how compliance with the cap should be calculated, including the question of whether the UHF discount should be eliminated. The Notice also invites comment on the Commission's legal authority to take such actions.

Effective February 7, 2018 except for the amendment to § 73.3613, which contains information collection requirements that are not effective until approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of these changes.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, an Order on Reconsideration repeals and modifies several of the Commission's broadcast ownership rules. Specifically, this document repeals the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, and the attribution rule for television joint sales agreements. This document also revises the Local Television Ownership Rule to eliminate the Eight-Voices Test and to modify the Top-Four Prohibition to better reflect the competitive conditions in local markets. This document provides a favorable presumption for waiver of the Local Radio Ownership Rule's market definitions as to transactions in certain embedded markets. Lastly, this document rejects requests to change the definition of Shared Service Agreements (SSAs) and the requirement that commercial television stations disclose SSAs by placing the agreements in each station's online public inspection file. In addition, the document finds that the record supports adoption of an incubator program to promote ownership diversity. The Order on Reconsideration grants in part and denies in part the Petitions for Reconsideration filed separately by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. (Nexstar), and Connoisseur Media LLC (Connoisseur).

83 FR 774 - Rules and Policies To Promote New Entry and Ownership Diversity in the Broadcasting Services

Comments are due on or before March 9, 2018 and reply comments are due on or before April 9, 2018. Written comments on the Paperwork Reduction Act proposed information collection requirements must be submitted by the public, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and other interested parties on or before March 9, 2018.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

This document solicits comment on how to design and implement an incubator program to support the entry of new and diverse voices in the broadcast industry. It seeks comment on the structure, review, and oversight of such a program in order to help create new sources of financial, technical, operational, and managerial support for eligible broadcasters, thereby creating ownership opportunities for new entrants and small businesses and promoting competition and new voices in the broadcast industry.

The Audio Division dismisses the petition for rulemaking filed by N Content Marketing, LLC (Petitioner), proposing to amend the FM Table of Allotments, by allotting Channel 246C2 at Gaylord, Michigan. Petitioner did not file comments expressing a continuing interest in the proposed Gaylord allotment. It is the Commission's policy to refrain from making an allotment to a community absent an expression of interest. Roy E. Henderson and Great Northern Broadcasting, Inc., jointly (Joint Counterpropsal), as well as Smile FM, separately, submitted counterproposals. The Joint Counterproposal is dismissed and Smile FM is given the opportunity to file its counterproposal as a petition for rulemaking within 60 days for consideration in a new proceeding. We will not allot Channel 246C2 at Gaylord, Michigan.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is correcting an announcement of effective date for a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 18, 2017. In the last sentence of the Supplementary Information section of that document, the stated effective date of January 8, 2017 should have been January 8, 2018.

Comments are due on or before February 20, 2018; reply comments are due on or before March 20, 2018.

47 CFR Parts 15, 73, 74 and 76

Summary

In this document, we seek further comment on issues related to exceptions to and waivers of the local simulcasting requirement, whether we should let full power broadcasters use channels in the television broadcast band that are vacant to facilitate the transition to 3.0, and finally, we tentatively conclude that local simulcasting should not change the significantly viewed status of a Next Gen TV station.

47 CFR 73.3526(c)(1) and 73.3527(c)(1), published at 82 FR 57876, December 8, 2017 are effective on January 8, 2018.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the non-substantive change request for the information collection requirements contained in FCC 17-137. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of these rules.

Effective January 8, 2018, except for §§ 73.3526(c)(1) and 73.3527(c)(1), which contain new or modified information collection requirements, and which shall become effective after the Commission publishes a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the relevant effective date.

47 CFR Parts 1 and 73

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) eliminates the rule that requires each AM, FM, and television broadcast station to maintain a main studio located in or near its community of license. The FCC also eliminates existing requirements associated with the rule, including the requirement that the main studio have full-time management and staff present during normal business hours, and that it have program origination capability.

The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register of November 17, 2017, concerning the Commission's grant of the request by Gray Television License, LLC (Gray) to substitute channel 7 for channel 5 for station KYES-TV, Anchorage, Alaska. The document contained the incorrect effective date.

Comments are due on or before December 29, 2017; reply comments are due on or before January 16, 2018.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on how to modernize two provisions in Part 73 of its rules governing broadcast licensees: Section 73.624(g), which establishes certain reporting obligations relating to the provision of ancillary or supplementary services, and Section 73.3580, which sets forth requirements concerning public notice of the filing of broadcast applications.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on April 4, 2016. That document revised FCC Form 323, Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations, and FCC Form 323-E, Ownership Report for Noncommercial Broadcast Stations, and amended Sections 73.3615 and 74.797 of the Commission's rules. This document corrects the final regulations by replacing references to “FCC Form 2100, Schedule 323” with “FCC Form 323” and replacing references to “FCC Form 2100, Schedule 323-E” with “FCC Form 323-E.”

Amendments to 47 CFR 73.3615 and 74.797 and changes to FCC Forms 323 and 323-E, published at 81 FR 19431, April 4, 2016, are effective November 28, 2017.

47 CFR Parts 73 and 74

Summary

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, for a period of three years, amendments to the Commission's rules and revised filing procedures and changes to FCC Form 323 (Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations) and FCC Form 323-E (Ownership Report for Noncommercial Broadcast Stations), which the Commission adopted in the Report and Order, Promoting Diversification of Ownership in the Broadcasting Services, FCC 16-1. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rule amendments and revised filing procedures and changes to Forms 323 and 323-E.

The Commission grants the request by Gray Television License, LLC (Gray) to substitute channel 7 for channel 5 for station KYES-TV, Anchorage, Alaska. Gray filed comments reaffirming its interest in the proposed channel substitution and stating that if the proposal is granted, it will promptly file an application for the facilities specified in the rulemaking petition and construct the station. As Gray explained in its petition, the antenna currently used by KYES-TV is a repurposed analog antenna the previous station owner built which provides an inefficient signal. In addition, the current remote transmission site does not have a generator and KYES-TV goes silent when there is a power outage. By moving to sister station KTUU's location, and operating with an existing modern broadband antenna on a high-VHF channel, the station will be able to deliver an improved signal. Gray will also add the KYES-TV signal to the translator network used by KTUU, which will reduce most of the loss of service that would result from the proposed move, which will serve the public interest.

Effective December 4, 2017, except for the amendments to 47 CFR 73.151(c)(1)(ix) and (x) and (c)(3), 47 CFR 73.154(a), and 47 CFR 73.155, which contain new or modified information collection requirements that require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), and which will become effective after the Commission publishes a document in the Federal Register announcing such approval and the relevant effective date.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

This document amends certain Commission rules applying to AM broadcast stations using directional antenna arrays. AM directional antenna arrays are multiple-tower installations designed to direct radio energy primarily in certain directions in order to avoid interfering with other AM broadcast stations. Approximately 40 percent of all AM broadcasters use directional arrays during some part of the broadcast day. These rule amendments are intended to decrease the burdens and expense of installing and maintaining directional arrays, especially for AM broadcasters using Method of Moments (MoM) modeling for proofs of performance of their directional arrays.

Effective November 2, 2017. The incorporation by reference listed in the rule was approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of November 2, 2017.

47 CFR Parts 2, 15, 18, 73, 74, 78, 80, 87, 90, and 101

Summary

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its equipment authorization regulations, increasing the Commission's agility to respond to changes in technology and industry standards. This rule consolidates, simplifies, and streamlines certain procedures, and removes the requirement to file the import declaration FCC Form 740 under certain circumstances.

The amendments to 47 CFR 73.503(e)(1), 73.621(f)(1), and 73.2527(e)(14), published at 82 FR 21127, May 5, 2017, are effective November 13, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Noncommercial Educational Station Fundraising for Third-Party Non-Profit Organizations Report and Order's third-party fundraising rules. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.

This document amends the FM Table of Allotments, of the Commission's rules, by reinstating certain vacant FM allotments. These FM allotments are considered vacant because of the cancellation of the associated authorizations and licenses, or the dismissal of long-form auction applications. These vacant FM allotments have previously undergone notice and comment rule making. Reinstatement of the vacant allotments is merely a ministerial action to effectuate licensing procedures. Therefore, we find for good cause that further notice and comment are unnecessary.

The changes to FCC Form 303-S required as a result of the rule adopted at 82 FR 11406, February 23, 2017, are effective on August 31, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, changes to FCC Form 303-S (Application for Renewal of Broadcast Station License) associated with the Commission's decision in Report and Order, Revisions to Public Inspection File Requirements—Broadcaster Correspondence File and Cable Principal Headend Location. Specifically, OMB has approved the Commission's decision to revise Form 303-S to eliminate those sections of the form that require commercial TV broadcasters to submit with their renewal application a summary of written communications received from the public regarding violent programming (See FCC Form 303-S at p. 5 and instructions at p. 25). This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of this change to FCC Form 303-S (See Public Inspection File R&O, 32 FCC Rcd at 1574-75, para 29).

Effective September 28, 2017. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of September 28, 2017.

47 CFR Parts 1, 15, 73, and 95

Summary

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted a comprehensive reorganization of and update to the rules governing the Personal Radio Services (PRS). PRS provides for a wide variety of wireless devices that are used by the general public for personal communication uses, which include applications like walkie-talkies, radio controlled model toys, Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), medical implant devices and other uses. In addition to the comprehensive review and update of the rules to reflect modern practices, the Commission enhanced the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) to allow new digital applications, allot additional interstitial channels and extend the license term from five to ten years. It also allotted additional channels to the Family Radio Service (FRS) and increased the power on certain FRS channels from 0.5 Watts to two Watts. It also updated the CB Radio Service to allow hands-free headsets, removed a restriction on communicating over long distances and removed other outdated requirements. These changes and others outlined below will update PRS rules to be more in line with current public demands for the services and will make the rules easier to read and find information, while also removing outdated requirements and removing unnecessary rules.

Comments must be filed on or before September 21, 2017, and reply comments on or before October 6, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

This document requests comments on a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Wind River Broadcasting, Inc., proposing to amend the FM Table of Allotments, of the Commission's rules, by allotting Channel 274C2 at Cora, Wyoming, as a first local service. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 274C2 can be allotted to Cora, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules without a site restriction. The reference coordinates are 43-03-24 NL and 110-08-07 WL.

The final rules regarding 47 CFR 73.3800, 73.6028, 74.799 and FCC Form 2100, Schedules A, B, C, D, E and F published at 82 FR 18240 on April 18, 2017, are effective August 10, 2017.

47 CFR Parts 73 and 74

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collections associated with the Commission's decision, in Report and Order, Channel Sharing by Full Power and Class A Stations Outside of the Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Context. Specifically, OMB has approved the Commission's rules that require that sharing stations: file applications for construction permit and license to implement their channel sharing arrangement (CSA); that they include a copy of their CSA with their construction permit application; and that they provide notice of their CSA to multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs). OMB also approved changes to the Commission's Form 2100 Schedules A, B, C, D, E and F to implement these changes. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of these rule changes.

Comments must be filed on or before August 15, 2017, and reply comments on or before August 25, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Gray), the licensee of KYES-TV, channel 5, Anchorage, Alaska, requesting the substitution of channel 7 for channel 5 at Anchorage. The Commission instituted a freeze on the acceptance of full power television rulemaking petitions requesting channel substitutions in May 2011, and a freeze on the filing of modification applications by full power and Class A television stations that would increase a station's noise-limited or protected contour beyond the station's currently licensed or authorized facility in April 2013. Gray asks that the Commission waive these freezes to permit KYES to relocate its transmitter and utilize upgraded equipment, thereby improving its over-the-air- signal to better serve viewers.

From 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 19, 2017, until midnight ET on August 2, 2017, there is a filing freeze for low-power FM and FM translator minor change construction permit applications and for FM booster construction permit applications. Starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on July 26, 2017, and prior to 6:00 p.m. on August 2, 2017, an eligible applicant may file its FCC Form 349. Starting at 9:00 a.m. ET on July 26, 2017, and prior to 6:00 p.m. ET on August 2, 2017, an eligible applicant may file its FCC Form 175.

47 CFR Parts 1, 73 and 74

Summary

In the document released June 6, 2017, the Media Bureau and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau released instructions for filing applications in a filing window to be open from July 26, 2017, through August 2, 2017, in which certain AM station licensees and proposed assignees may seek new FM translator construction permits to retransmit the signals of the primary AM stations. In addition, the Media Bureau announced that it will not accept low-power FM and FM translator minor change construction permit applications and FM booster construction permit applications between July 19 and August 2, 2017. In the document released July 13, 2017, Commission staff announced that an online tutorial would be available for this auction, which is designated as Auction 99, and addressed a petition for clarification on an issue of applicant eligibility for this filing window opportunity.

In this Order on Reconsideration, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) dismisses a petition for reconsideration filed in this rulemaking proceeding by William J. Kirsch. This action was taken on delegated authority jointly by the Acting Chief, International Bureau, and the Chief, Media Bureau.

2017-06-30; vol. 82 # 125 - Friday, June 30, 2017

82 FR 29770 - Transition Progress Report Form and Filing Requirements for Stations Not Eligible for Reimbursement From the TV Broadcast Relocation Fund

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) describes the information that must be provided in periodic progress reports (FCC Form 2100—Schedule 387 (Transition Progress Report)) by full power and Class A television stations that are not eligible to receive payment of relocation expenses from the TV Broadcast Relocation Fund in connection with their being assigned to a new channel through the Incentive Auction.

The amendments to 47 CFR 73.3526; 76.5(pp)(2); 76.1700; and 76.1708, published at 82 FR 11406 on February 23, 2017 are effective June 29, 2017.

47 CFR Parts 73 and 76

Summary

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, some of the information collections associated with the Commission's decision, in Report and Order, Revisions to Public Inspection File Requirements—Broadcaster Correspondence File and Cable Principal Headend Location. Specifically, OMB has approved the Commission's decision to eliminate two public inspection file requirements: the requirement that commercial broadcast stations retain in their public inspection file copies of letters and emails from the public; and the requirement that cable operators maintain for public inspection the designation and location of the cable system's principal headend. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of these rule changes.

The proposed rule published on April 4, 2011 (76 FR 18497) is withdrawn as of June 12, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Southern Media Holdings, Inc. (SMH), the former licensee of WFXG, Augusta, Georgia, requesting the substitution of channel 51 for channel 31 at Augusta. WFXG License Subsidiary, LLC (Licensee) is now the licensee of WFXG. Station WFXG was allotted channel 51 as its post-transition DTV channel and operated a licensed facility on that channel. In 2008, SMH filed a petition for rulemaking requesting that channel 31 be substituted for channel 51, and the Commission granted that request. SMH subsequently requested that the Commission change its channel back to channel 51 and we issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which was contested. On April 28, 2017, Licensee filed a letter withdrawing its pending request to substitute channel 51 for channel 31, explaining that it had licensed the channel 31 facility and that WFXG was reassigned to channel 36 in connection with the post-incentive auction repacking of the broadcast television spectrum.

Comments are due on or before July 3, 2017; reply comments are due on or before July 17, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Commission proposes to eliminate its rule that requires each AM, FM, and television broadcast station to maintain a main studio located in or near its community of license. The Commission tentatively finds that the main studio rule is now outdated and unnecessarily burdensome for broadcast stations. The Commission also proposes to eliminate existing requirements associated with the main studio rule, including the requirement that the main studio must have full-time management and staff present during normal business hours, and that it must have program origination capability.

Changes to FCC Form 301, FCC Form 314, and FCC Form 315, published at 81 FR 76220-01, Nov. 1, 2016, are effective on May 16, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection requirements associated with the Commission's Second Report and Order, 2014 Quadrennial Regulatory Review, FCC 16-107. This document is consistent with the Second Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of changes to the forms.

In this document, the Commission expands the option to use Special Use FRNs on ownership reports for noncommercial educational broadcast stations (FCC Form 323-E). This action addresses several petitions for reconsideration of a prior Commission decision and properly balances the Commission's need to improve the integrity and usability of its broadcast ownership data with the concerns raised in the petitions for reconsideration.

An Order on Reconsideration reinstates the UHF discount, which allows commercial broadcast television station owners to discount the audience reach of their UHF stations when calculating compliance with the national television ownership rule. With the reinstatement of the discount, the Commission will commence a proceeding later this year to consider whether the national television audience reach cap, including the UHF discount, remains in the public interest. The Order on Reconsideration finds that the UHF discount is inextricably linked to the national cap, and when the Commission voted previously to eliminate the discount, it failed to consider whether this de facto tightening of the national cap was in the public interest and justified by current marketplace conditions. The Order on Reconsideration grants in part the Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) filed by ION Media Networks and Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana, Inc. (Petitioners), and dismisses as moot requests to reconsider the grandfathering provisions applicable to broadcast station combinations affected by elimination of the discount and the decision to forego a VHF discount.

Effective July 5, 2017, except for the amendments to §§ 73.503(e)(1), 73.621(f)(1), and 73.3527(e)(14), which contain new or modified information collection requirements that require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and will become effective after the Commission publishes a document in the Federal Register announcing such approval and the relevant effective date.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Commission revises its rules to allow noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcast stations to conduct limited on-air fundraising activities that interrupt regular programming for the benefit of third-party non-profit organizations. Permitting NCE stations to conduct third-party fundraising on a limited basis will serve the public interest by enabling NCE stations to support charities and other non-profit organizations in their fundraising efforts for worthy causes without undermining the noncommercial nature of NCE stations or their primary function of serving their communities of license through educational programming.

This final rule is effective on April 20, 2017. The amendments to 47 CFR 1.5000 through 1.5004, 25.105, 73.1010 and 74.5, published at 81 FR 86586, December 1, 2016, are effective on April 20, 2017.

47 CFR Parts 1, 25, 73, and 74

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, information collection requirements adopted in the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 16-128. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rules.

These rules are effective May 18, 2017 except for §§ 73.3800, 73.6028, and 74.799(h), which contain new or modified information collection requirements that require approval by the OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act and will become effective after the Commission publishes a document in the Federal Register announcing such approval and the relevant effective date.

47 CFR Parts 73 and 74

Summary

In this Report and Order, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted rules to allow full power and Class A stations with auction-related channel sharing agreements (CSAs) to become sharees outside of the incentive auction context so that they can continue to operate if their auction-related CSAs expire or otherwise terminate. The Commission also adopted rules to allow all low power television and TV translator stations (secondary stations) to share a channel with another secondary station or with a full power or Class A station. This action will assist secondary stations that are displaced by the incentive auction and the repacking process to continue to operate in the post-auction television bands. The rules adopted in this R&O will enhance the benefits of channel sharing for broadcasters without imposing significant burdens on multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).

At the request of Roy E. Henderson (Petitioner), licensee of FM Station KNUZ (FM), San Saba, Texas, the Audio Division amends the FM Table of Allotments by substituting Channel 277A for Channel 224A at Mullin, Texas. The purpose of this change is to facilitate and grant Petitioner's hybrid application that KNUZ (FM) be modified to operate on Channel 277A rather than Channel 224A at San Saba, Texas. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 277A can be substituted for Channel 224A at Mullin, Texas, as proposed, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules with a site restriction 3.1 km (1.9 miles) north of the community. The reference coordinates are 31-35-00 NL and 98-40-31 WL.

Comments for this proceeding are due on or before May 9, 2017; reply comments are due on or before June 8, 2017.

47 CFR Parts 15 and 73

Summary

In this document, the Commission proposes to authorize television broadcasters to use the “Next Generation” broadcast television transmission standard associated with recent work of the Advanced Television Systems Committee on a voluntary, market-driven basis, while they continue to deliver current-generation digital television broadcast service, using the ATSC 1.0 standard, to their viewers. This new standard has the potential to greatly improve broadcast signal reception and will enable broadcasters to offer enhanced and innovative new features to consumers.

At the request of Red Lake Nation, the Audio Division amends the FM Table of Allotments by allotting FM Channel 287C1 at Red Lake, Minnesota, as a Tribal Allotment and a first local Tribal-owned service to the community. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 287C1 can be allotted at Red Lake, Minnesota, as proposed, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules with a site restriction 42.4 km (25.34 miles) northwest of the community. The reference coordinates are 47-59-00 NL and 95-33-33 WL.

Effective February 23, 2017, except for the amendments to §§ 73.3526, 76.5, 76.1700, and 76.1708, which contain information collection requirements that have not been approved by OMB. The Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those amendments.

47 CFR Parts 73 and 76

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) eliminates two public inspection file requirements: The requirement that commercial broadcast stations retain in their public inspection file copies of letters and emails from the public; and the requirement that cable operators maintain for public inspection the designation and location of the cable system's principal headend. Our actions will reduce regulatory burdens on commercial broadcasters and cable operators, advance regulatory parity with respect to our public file requirements among various program distributors, and improve security at local stations and principal headend locations.

In this document the Incentive Auction Task Force and the Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts: Updates to the categories of eligible equipment and services, as well as updated baseline costs, in the catalog of eligible reimbursement expenses (Catalog); an economic methodology for adjusting the Catalog's baseline costs annually such that they remain accurate, by using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index, WPUFD4 series; and revisions to the online Reimbursement Form to incorporate the updates to the Catalog, which will be embedded in the Reimbursement Form, as well as other features, including checkboxes for entities to indicate if they are seeking upgrades or partial payment requests, which are designed to make it more user-friendly.

In this document, the Media Bureau, in consultation with the Incentive Auction Task Force, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and the Office of Engineering and Technology, adopts a methodology to establish construction deadlines and transitions schedule for full power and Class A television stations that are transitioning to new channels following the incentive auction.

At the request of La Voz Latina (LVL) and Charles Crawford (Crawford), respectively, the Audio Division amends the FM Table of Allotments, by allotting Channel 278A at San Isidro, Texas, and deleting Channel 278A at Roma, Texas. Channel 278A at San Isidro, Texas, will be the community's second local service. The Audio Division, therefore, grants both LVL's counterproposal and Crawford's “Withdrawal of Expression of Interest.” A staff engineering analysis indicates Channel 278A can be allotted to San Isidro consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules with a site restriction 6 kilometers west of the community. The reference coordinates are 26-42-15 NL and 98-29-48 WL.

Comments must be filed on or before March 27, 2017, and reply comments on or before April 11, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

This document requests comments on a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Northwest Florida Media, LLC, proposing to amend the FM Table of Allotments, of the Commission's rules, by allotting Channel 295A at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, as a sixth local service. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 295A can be allotted to Fort Walton Beach, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules without a site restriction. The reference coordinates are 30-24-40 NL and 86-37-28 WL.

2017-02-14; vol. 82 # 29 - Tuesday, February 14, 2017

82 FR 10559 - Media Bureau Seeks Comment on Requiring the Filing of Transition Progress Reports by Stations That Are Not Eligible for Reimbursement From the TV Broadcast Relocation Fund

Comments due on or before March 1, 2017; and reply comments are due on or before March 13, 2017.

47 CFR Part 73

Summary

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission seeks comment on a proposed Transition Progress Report (FCC Form 2100—Schedule 387 (Transition Progress Report)) and proposed filing requirements for periodic progress reports by full power and Class A television stations that are not eligible to receive payment of relocation expenses from the TV Broadcast Relocation Fund in connection with their being assigned to a new channel through the Incentive Auction. The Commission tentatively concludes that this mechanism is needed to help the Commission, broadcasters, those involved in construction of broadcast facilities, other interested parties, and the public to monitor the construction of the stations that are not eligible for reimbursement.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) describes the information that must be provided in periodic progress reports (FCC Form 2100—Schedule 387 (Transition Progress Report)) by full power and Class A television stations that are eligible to receive payment of relocation expenses from the TV Broadcast Relocation Fund in connection with their being assigned to a new channel through the Incentive Auction. The Commission previously determined that reimbursable stations must file reports showing how the disbursed funds have been spent and what portion of the stations' construction in complete. These Transition Progress Reports will help the Commission, broadcasters, those involved in construction of broadcast facilities, other interested parties, and the public to assess how disbursed funds have been spent and to monitor the construction of stations.